Taphophile Tragics - Robert and Ledger Julia Smith of Portsea, Hampshire

Monument to Roger Smith and Ledger Julia Smith, St Peter's Churchyard, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England.

"In Memoriam.  Of your charity, pray for the souls of Robert Smith who died March 23 1884 aged 79 years and of his wife Ledger Julia who died June 2 1888 aged 84 years.  The oldest members of this congregation.  The first received into the Church after the establishment of the Mission in 1845. - Jesu, Mary, Joseph Mercy - R. I. P."


Robert Smith, a hair dresser, was born in Portsea, Hampshire in 1806 to Robert Smith and his wife Margaret.  Robert was Christened on 9th July 1806 at St Mary's church in Portsea.

On 6th October 1823 in the same church, Robert married Ledger Julia Hayes.

Ledger Julia Hayes was also born in Portsea, Hampshire around 1804 to Lawrence Hayes and his wife Elizabeth.

The couple celebrated the birth of their first child, a son Robert Hayes, in 1826, followed by a daughter Julia in 1828.  A second son, Henry Hayes was born in 1831, followed by a third son, Rueben in 1833.  Stephen was born in 1836 and Lawrence John followed in 1838.  Finally just before the 1941 Census, baby Rosa was born.

Robert and Ledger appear on the 1841 Census living in Spittal Street in Marlow, Buckinghamshire.  Sadly just two years after the Census was taken, little Rosa Smith passed away.  But joy came to the family again in 1844 when little Georgina was born.

By 1851, Robert and Ledger, along with their younger children Stephen and Georgina, had moved to Exmouth Street in Finsbury, London.  Robert Hayes Smith and his younger brother Lawrence John, both hair dressers had remained at Spittal Street in Marlow, Buckinghamshire.  Reuben, a shop boy is lodging in the home of Thomas Daniel in Cass Street, St George in the east, Stepney, London.  I have been unable to trace Julia or her younger brother Henry.  I believe Henry may have passes away between 1848 and 1850, but I cannot find anything conclusive.

By 1861, Robert, Ledger and their youngest daughter, Georgina had moved to St Peter's Street in Finsbury, London.  Stephen had left the family home and married his wife, Jane Savel in Bethnal Green in 1857.  They celebrated the birth of their daughter, Georgina in 1861.  On the Census they can be found running the Lord Raglen Arms in Tranmere, Cheshire.

By 1871 Robert and Ledger had moved to 10 Stanhope Street, St Pancras, London, where Robert now aged sixty five is still working as a hair dresser.  Georgina has left the family to work as a school mistress at 16 Whitehall Street, Birmingham.

In 1881, now both in their mid seventies and retired, Robert and Ledger have returned to Marlow, living in Cambridge Place.  Sadly just three years after the Census was taken, in 1884, Robert passed away.  His wife Ledger Julia followed him to the grave just four years later in 1888.


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